During complex manufacturing processes (e.g., the manufacture of an automobile) a plurality of components and subassemblies can be joined with one another. For example, two shaped metal components can be welded to one another. Although, the weld may couple the metal components together, a seam can be formed between the edges of adjacent pieces. The seams may not be water tight, may be the source of defects during the life cycle of the article, may be a site for corrosion, and/or may be a source of undesired vibration. Swirl guns can be utilized to apply media to such seams that are configured to mitigate some of the undesired effects of the seam.
The quality of the media application can be dependent upon a plurality of factors such as, for example, the distance a spray nozzle of the swirl gun is away from the article during the application of media. Additionally, it is generally desirable to apply the media in a repeatable manner such that each article produced by a manufacturing process is treated with substantially the same amount and substantially the shape of media coating. Often the swirl gun can be mounted to a robotic actuator that is programmed to apply the media according to a programmed pattern. However, the seams and/or areas surrounding the seams may have a convoluted shape. Thus, programming the robotic actuator can be difficult and time consuming.
Accordingly, a need exists for alternative systems, assemblies, and methods for programming media application systems